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G. T. WOODS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

3 Sheets-Sheet -1.'

(No Model.)

' Nag-507,606 Patented Oct. 31, 1893 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. woons. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SUP-ELY SYSTEM.

No.'507,606. PatentejdiOct.31,1 83.

(No Model.) I r 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' G. T. WOODS.

, I ELECTRIC RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM. No. 507,606.

. Patented Oct. 31 1893.

62mm Q 7 x I vwemiioz v UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

GRANVILLE T. WOODS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,606, dated October 31, 1893.

Application filed March 2, 1893. Serial No. 464,400- (No model.)

ing part of this specification, Figure 1, is a iagram plan View showing the arrangement of the conductors, generator, insulating supports and means for automatically supplying the said supports with fluid insulation, under pressure. Fig. 2, is a vertical cross section of one of the supports, showing the insulating material and the conductor supporting stem. Fig. 3, is a bottom view of one of the said supports, with cover W removed. Fig. 4, is a vertical cross section of the conduit showing the insulating support and conductors in position, and a car arranged upon the rails, (of the roadway) which are supported by the conduit yoke.

Referring now to. the drawings, similar letters or figures representcorresponding parts.

A and B- are two metallic conductors constituting the leadswhich are in electrical communication with generator -O.

l-234 represent low resistance portions of a work conductor, which, as a hole, is continuous and unbroken throughout the line; the lowresistance portions, which maybe of any convenient length, are electrically connected in series byhigh resistance portions in,- dicated at 5-55. 7

Conductor B- may consist of the rails, of the railway, electrically connected so as to return the current from the motor to the dynamo, or it may be an independent conductor, arranged for'that purpose, with optional ground connections as shown DEF--. The object of optional grounds is to get the benefit of the conductivity of the rails and earth While the insulation of conductor -A- and its connections, remains good 5 but in case of a bad ground on conductor -A- or any of its connections, the grounds at D--EF. may be cut off, by means of the switch shown in the ground circuits thereby wasting less power. The work conductors are preferably arranged in a suitable conduit, as shown in Fig. 4, beneath the surface of the roadway, supported on insulating devices, (which are formed as hereinafter more fully described,) to enable a system of brushes or contacts, at tached to the car, to maintain an electrical connection therewith as the car moves along the track.

66'6 are tap wires connecting lead A through insulating supports 9-9 which are shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, to the work conductor.

77 7 are switches by which lead A is normally placed in electrical communication with the Work conductors.

888 are fuses.

At -G- is shown a method which I may use, if I so desire, at points where the conduit is liable to become filled with Water, and which I will explain hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 2, H represents a hollow outer part or body (of any suitable shape) composed of some non-porous material such as metal, glass, or porcelain; within the said body is a series of still? retaining disks, II--I for the retention of the conductor supporting stem K. A supporting shoulder or ring L is formed within the outer body and the disks 1 I rest against the opposite sidesof the ring as clearly shown in the drawings. Upon disk I' is placed a part or body Mof non-electric conducting porous material such forinstance,as wool, cotton, or asbestus; upon this body is placed disk I- and the whole composition of the interior body may be compressed to any desired degree by screwing the nuts n and O, more or less upon the stem -K. Between the nut O- and disk I is placed a washer -P-, preferably of metal, and between the said washer and the said nut, tap wire 6. is bound, thus bringing the tap wire and stem -K in electrical communication. I

-R is an arm extending outward from stem -K and formed in two parts with jaws at the end which grip the work conductor 20. The arm may be of any desired length. Tap

wire -6- enters the space or cavity T- of the outer body H, through hollow neck U. Nithin the said neck, the space, which remains unoccupied by wire -6- may be filled with melted asphaltum, rosin,or any other suitable non conducting material. These insulating supports may be attached to the walls of the conduit or to the yokes by flanges which are shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, -s-- is a tube or pipe which is arranged parallel to the roadway and is in tubular connection through pipes --s s &c., with the cavities -T-T, &c., of supports -99, &c. Fluid insulation is constantly supplied (by means of pump -Z- or a stand pipe) through pipes and its tubular connections, to the cavities of the various insulating supports, and from there the fluid gradually percolates around and through the porous material -M of the inner part or body, and the aforesaid disks.

-a:-Jc, &c., represent valves'which are so arranged that I may cut off, at will, the individual supply of fluid insulation received by each of the hollow supports.

The fluid insulation mentioned herein may be a medium bodied oil. The insulating properties of oil are well known; therefore, the reason I employ it here, under pressure,is obvious.

Referring now to the apparatusshown at -G- Fig. 1, a magnet 10 is shown, having two coils, one being of high resistance, and having one of its terminals connected with switch l1- while the other terminal connects with auxiliary conductor 12-. The other coil is of low resistance and one terminal is normally connected to conductor A by switch -l3-- and the other terminal is normally connected to section --l of the work conductor, by switch -14-. As the connections are now shown, the device is non automatic, that is, it cannot cut out section ---4- when the motor-car leaves that point. Now let us suppose switch --1l to be closed, and switch 13 to be open, let motor -Y-- approach section -4t--, then brush -15- would touch auxiliary conductor -12 and brush 16- would be in electrical contact with conductor 3-, while brush 17- would be in electrical connection with conductor -B; the result would be, a portion of the current from work conductor -3 would pass through brush -16- to brush ,-15 thence through conductor12 to the high resistance coil of magnet 10 thence through switch -11 to conductor --B; armature -18-- would instantly move forward and rest against stop -19,- thus electrically connecting conductor -A- with section --4 (of the work conductor) through the low resistance coil of magnet --lO--. Now when the motor leaves the aforesaid section, armature -1S will be Withdrawn from stop -19 thereby opening the circuit at that point, and decreasing the chances of leakage from the work conductor, section -4-.

The object of placing high resistance sections between the sections of low resistance of the work circuit is, first, to prevent any great amount of leakage from one part of the line to any other portion of the same, in case of accident to any one portion; second, to decrease the arc which is liable to form when the brush of the motor passes from one section of the work conductor.

What I claim as new isr 1. In a system of electrical distribution, an electrical generator, electrical conductors in electrical connection, therewith, insulating supportsfor said electrical conductors, atube or pipe arranged parallel to said electrical conductors, a tubular communication between the said pipe and each of said insulating supports, all arranged substantially as set forth.

2. In a system of electrical distribution a generator, electrical conductors in electrical connection therewith hollow insulating supports for said electrical conductors, a pipe arranged parallel to said electrical conductors, a tubular communication between the said pipe and each of the said supports, means for automatically supplying to the pipe and insulators a liquid insulation substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a system of electrical distribution a generator, electrical conductors in electrical communication therewith, insulating sup-" ports forsaid conductors, apipe arranged parallel to said conductors, tubular communications between the said pipe and the cavities of the insulators, means for automatically supplying to the said pipe and'insulators, a liquid insulation and means for cutting off, at will the supply of liquid insulation from any individual insulatorsubstantially as de scribed and set forth. I

t. In a system of electrical distribution, a series of hollow insulating chambersor shells, an electrical conductor supported by the said insulating-chambers, a traveling motor in electrical communication with said conductor, a generator in electrical communicationtherewith, a pipe arranged parallel to said conductor, a tubularcommunication between the said pipe and the interior of the said chambers or shells and means for automatically supplying liquid insulation to the said pipe and the said shells.

5. In, a system of electrical distribution, a generator, an electrical conductor in electrical communication therewith, insulators for said conductor, a pipe arranged parallel to said conductor, a tubular communication be tween the said pipe and thesaid insulators, a traveling motor, means for electrical communication between the said motor and the said conductor and means for supplying liquid insulation through the said pipe to the said insulators.

6. In a system of electrical distribution a generator, an electrical conductor in electrical communication therewith, hollow insulating supports composed of non-porous material, or

substance, a pipe arranged parallel to the aforesaid conductor, a tubular communication between the said pipe and the said insulating supports and means for automatically supplying liquid insulation through the said pipe to the said insulators, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a system of electrical distribution said stems, means for compressing the said material, a pipe arranged parallel to the aforesaid conductor, a tubular communication between the said pipe and the said supports, and means for automatically supplying liquid insulation through the said pipe to the said insulating supports, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a'system of electrical distribution a generator, an electrical conductor in electrical communication therewith, a plurality of hollow insulating supports having a non-porous body, a metallic stem or arm projecting from each of the said supports, an electrical communication-between the said stems and the said'conductor, a porous compressible insulating substance surrounding each of the saidstems, means for compressing the said material, a pipe arranged parallel tothe aforesaid conductor, a tubular'communication between the said pipe and the said supports, and means for automatically supplying-liquid insulation through the said pipe to the said insulating supports, and means'for cutting OK, at will, the supply of liquid insulation from any individual insulator, substantially as set forth.

9. In a system of electrical distribution a generator, an electrical feed conductor in electrical communication therewith, a continuous work conductor, means for connect- .ing the said feed conductor electrically to the said work conduetor, a plurality of hollow insulating supports for the said work conductor, a pipe opening into the cavities of the said supports, and means for cutting off at will the communication between the said pipe and the said support.

10. In a system of electrical distribution, a generator, an electrical conductor in electrical communication therewith, insulators for said conductor, an underground open conduit wherein said conductor and said insulators are arranged, a pipe arranged parallel to said conduit, a tubular communication between the said pipe and the said insulators; a traveling motor-car, means (normally attached to saidm'otor-car) for electrical communication between the said motor-car and the said conductor, and means for supplying insulation through the aforesaid pipe to the said insulators, substantially asset forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 1st day of October, 1892. I

' GRANVILLE T. WOODS.

' 'Witnesses:

GEo. H. BALL, A. E. HEARN. 

